Scientists liken Chinese smog to ‘nuclear winter’

Air pollution in parts of China is now so extreme it could lead to conditions similar to a “nuclear winter,” scientists say. The smog that covers the country has become so thick it is impeding photosynthesis, potentially disrupting China’s food supply.

China’s pollution problem is reaching crisis point, with acrid
smog covering six southern provinces for the past week. Over the
last few days a total of 19 cities have recorded levels of
pollution drastically exceeding the World Health Organization’s
(WHO) safety levels.

The toxic smog is having severe consequences, with aircraft being
grounded across the country because of poor visibility, roads
closing and a significant reduction in tourist numbers. An
associate professor at China Agricultural University, He
Dongxian, told the South China Morning Post that if these
conditions continued, China will experience something akin to a
“nuclear winter.”

Furthermore, she said an experiment in Beijing in recent months
had shown a significant slowdown in photosynthesis (the process
by which plants turn light into chemical energy). According to He
Dongxian’s tests, chili and tomato seeds that usually take 20
days to sprout could take over two months to grow into seedlings.

"They will be lucky to live at all. Now almost every farm is
caught in a smog panic," He Dongxian said, adding that the
poor seedling quality would have a severe effect on agricultural
output this year.

Beijing authorities have come under fire from environmental
organizations this week for failing to activate a red alert –
which requires schools to close to minimize the impact of the
smog on the public.

"The officials are not proactive enough. They should listen
to public opinion when setting the conditions [for the
alerts],” said Greenpeace campaigner Huang Wei, adding that
the authorities had not met the public’s expectations.

China’s smog problem has begun to affect its neighbors overseas.
On Wednesday officials in Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern
Japan issued a health warning to residents after a dramatic rise
in air pollution levels. Authorities advised people to stay
indoors and not to exercise outside.

Ministers from China, Japan and South Korea are set to meet in
May to discuss ways to mitigate the rising levels of pollution in
the region. China has been criticized by its neighbors for its
excessive use of coal-burning power stations.